Rotary valve



2 Sheets-Sheet l E. M. BOURNONVILLE ROTARY VALVE Filed April 15. 1926Oct. 25, 1927.

'3 [1 g g; l i I i 4 l/VVE/VTUR 11W Oct. 25, 1927.,

E. M. BOURNONVILLE ROTARY VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15. 1926 2ZVE/VTOR Q Patented Oct. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- EUGENE M; BOUBNONVILLE, or JERSEY CITY, NEWJERSEY,

- ROTARY VALVE.

Application filed April 15, 1926. Serial No. 102,178.

' l cutting and seizing and to preserve the oil film, but not greatenough to cause loss of power, are very exacting. The object of thepresent invention is to provide a construction which is very efficientfor such purposes and simple to manufacture.

The invention involves a yielding or fiexible bearing wing curving overthe c'ylin drical surface of the rotary valve member, said bearing or'wing being secured or in- '20 tegral with the casing at one side andfree at the other, so as to be adapted for slight come and go underexpansion and contraction and the effect of pressure from thepowercylinder on the rotary valve member, suit able means being; provided forsustaining the wing so as to alance or control the pressure andyielding. \Otherobjects and features of the invention will becomeapparent as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view through the upper part of one cylinderof an engine and the valve which extends lengthwise over as the tops ofthe cylinders;

Fig. 2 is a fragmenta longitudinal sec: tion on the line 22 of ig.1;,and

Fi 3 and 4 are fragmentary cross-sectiona views illustrating modifiedforms.

The engine cylinder castin is marked 2, and 3 is the valve casing. heart 4 of the valve casing is shown form with the cylinder casting, whilethe part 5 is a removable head. The valve ,is more specifically of thecombined intake and exhaust variety, and the provisions which will bedescribed are articularly advantageous for such a valve,-t ough notlimited thereto. Accordingly, the rotary valve orplug memher 6 is shownrovided with lateral transferports 7 which, as the valve member "turns,first connects an exhaust plort or space 8 in one side of the casing wita cylinder port 9 at the bottom, and then connects this port with anintake space or mamfold 10 in the other side of the casing, in awell-known integral manner. Itwill be understood that the valve-casingand the rotary member extend along .over the tops of the severalcylinders of the engine, and that the rotary member is provided with oneor more of the transfer ports 7, properly positioned, for each of thecylinders. The part 5 of the valve casing is simply a cap, forming partofthe gas-tight enclosure. The part 4 is formed internally with so muchof a cylindrical bore as is necessary to give 'bearin member, this borebeing esigned to ailord tight seals between the cylinder port and theintake and exhaust spaces on eitherhand,

and between the exhaust and intake spaces.

. The upper portion of the hollow cylindri cal bearing'surface is.formed on the inner side of a bearing wing 11 constituting an importantpart ofthe invention. In the pre ferred construction, this win is anintegral portionof the lower part 0- the valve easmg, springingtherefrom at the exhaust side,

above the exhaust port, and arching free of the fixed top of the casing,up and over the rotary member for a considerable distance to the turningtoward the intake side of the casing, its free edge or side 12preferably terminating ad'acent the intake manifold. The wing mi t,though with less advantage, be arrange to extend from its fixed to itsfree end ina reverse direction. The wing extends lengthwise of themulticylinder valve, constituting a curved roof, and it will benaturally understood that it may be continuous or all in one piecelengthwise of the valve or not.

Such-a wing or cantilever formed of'the cast p met'alof the casing andmade oif'suitable length or width transversely ofthe valve and v ofsuitable thickness or taper, which matters 'are variable in diiierentcases, serves very advantageously as a flexible self-adjusting shoe ortop bearing-to compensate or allow for thermal expansic :1, so as topreserve a substantially uniform clearance, without seiz ng on the onehanc, or loss of compression through looseness on the other hand.

To aidvthe' wing in its function, and to supportvit against the pressurewhich acts upon the rotary valve member throu h the cylinder port,yielding means of Sn cient ower are provided for sustaining, restrainmgor pressing upon the free portion of the wing. siderabl varied. In thepreferred embodiment, t e top part of the valve casing is provided witha suitable number of cylinder The form of suchmeans may be con- 7chambers 13, open at the top and each containing a spring 14. .Thisspring acts upon piece may. also be fu a follower or piston 15 in thechamber which in turn presses against the lower en of a screw 16, whichis threaded through the end of the long arm of a lever 17 fulcrumed a 18on the to of the casing. The much shorter arm 19 0 this lever bears.upon the upper end'of a thrust pin 20, which passes through a, guideopening in the top wall of the casing, the sliding oint at this pointbeing made tight by a stufing-box 21. The lower end of the pin 20 restsagainst the back of the wing adjacent 1ts free ed e, in order to applythe multiplied vefiYect o the spring thereto. A suitable number ofsprings or other pressure-producing arrangements acting throughleverages, or otherwise, will hold the. flexible bearing wing to thevalve member with substantially equally distributed pressure against theressure exerted throu h the valve memer, while permitting't e wingbearing to yield in response to expansion as the valve becomes heated'up. By turning the screw 16, the amount of the counter-pressure on thevalve member may be adjusted to take care of wear and other conditions.

The controllin mechanism just described is advantageous, being primarilyillustrative. The pressure means need not necessarily consist ofsprings,.and while the sustaining pressure or force of such-means ismostadvanta-v geously applied throu h leverage, I do not necessarily limitmysel f to this.

In order to prevent'the bearing wing yielding to an-extent that would beundesirable or possibly dangerous, limit stop pins 31 are set in thehead of the casing and carefully adjusted and locked, so as solidly tosupport the wing in case it should recede more than. an ordinary amount.The amount of flexing oryielding of the bearing wing is, of course, veryslight.

A yielding bearing wing made .in one piece with the casin casting, andyieldable entirely by virtue o the kind of. flexibility which such metalexhibits when made into appropriate forms,- is preferred because of itscheapness. and eflectiveness. However, the yieldin cantilever wingbearing may be made 0 a "separate piece, of steel, for example, asshown' at 11 in, Fig. 3, such wing being solidly secured at its fixedend or side by screwing, riveting, or in-anysuitable manner. A wing madeof a separate crumed or hinged or otherwise movably held at one point inthe casing, such a wing being marked 11 .in

Fig. 4, and its fulcrum 11. There is such flexibility in the wing as toenable it to con- Y form to the rotary-member under all conditions.

In the several forms of the valve the fixed 'ut is to be understood asmember can never become imprisone within the fixed bearing asthe resultof expansion.

a The flexible wing 4 of the yielding bearmg is also seen to extend oversomewhat less than 180 in another part of the ci'r-' cuit. The intakegas space, port or manifold opening intervenes at one side between i thewing and the fixed bearing, and the cylinder and exhaust ports or withinthe limits of the fixed earing.

Various other forms of the invention may be devised, and there may benumerous changes in details and'arrangement, and by wa of substitution,addition or omission, an in the specific mode of operation.

I claim:

1. A rotary valve for an internal combustion engine, comprising a rotarymember turning in a ported casing, yvith a flexibly yielding bearingwing which is held at oneside and substantially free elsewhere, curvingfree for a substantial distance over the rotary member, substantially asset forth. 2. A rotary valve for an internal combustion engine,comprising a rotary member turning in a ported casing-,with a flexiblyyielding bearing wing which is held at one side and ermitted to yield atits other side, curving ree for a substantial distance over the rotarymember, and yielding means for sustaining said bearing wing,substantially as set forth.

v 3. A rotary valve for an internal combustion engine, comprising arotary member turning in a ported casing, with a flexible bearing wingwhich is solid with the casing at one side and substantially free at theother side, curving free and yielding for assages 000111 a substantialdistance over the rotary memturning in a ported casing, with a yieldinbearing wing which is held.at one side an free at the" other side,curving. free for a substantial distance over the surface of the rotamember, yieldin means for sustaining t e free portion 0 said bearingwing and a limit stop for limiting the yielding 0 said bearing wing,substantially as set forth.

6. A rotary valve for an internal combustion engine, comprising a rotarymember turning in a ported casing,'with a flexibly yielding bearing w1ngwhich is held at one side and free at'its other side,- curving ,free

- for a substantial distance over the surface; ofthe rotary. member, apressure-producing= .device,-andmeans comprising a. lever for applyingthe pressure of 'sai'd' device to-thei I v providing. earing'for-saidrotary member of 7. A rotary valve for an -ti'on engine, comprising arotary member turning. in a portedicasmg, witha flexibly for-"asubstantial distance over the'surfac'e of the rotary member,ressure-produemg means, and meansfor mu tiplying the power of said meansupon said bearing wing, sub- 'stantially as set forth.

internal combusyielding bearing wingv which is held at one side and freeat its other, slde, curving free.

bearing wing, substantially asset forth. V

8. A rotary valve .the. rotary member, a pressure-producingde 1 vice, athrust pinguided in the casing;-to bear upon the free portion of saidbearing wing,$and a lever interposedjbetween sai device and said pin,substantially as -set' forth.

' -which sai' member turns having'intake and 'ing'. wing which is heldfwit exhaust spaces, and .a flexiblyl the side of the exhaust spaceandthence curves [freefor aisubstant al distance 'o'v'er the surface of therota member toward the 'intakespace,substantia 1y as set forth,

10. A rotary valve for an internal combastion engine, comprising arotary ,mem: ber turning in'a bly yielding bearing swing w 'ch is heldat one side. and free'at-its other side, curving [L -the sustainm forceI tiall'y as set orth.

a free for asub'stantial :distaneover the rotary member, yielding"meanfs'iorjustaining said b'e'aring wing, and meansfior adjusting 1 s bA rotary-valve bastion engine, comprisingt g ni em: p rt a i g with aflexible win which is held at one i side and substanti'a 3*- e at; itsother-side forming a yieldingj'roofofthe bearingposed to the pressurecommunicated-.110- rotary member :hom the engine cylinder, substantiallya t e hr 12. A rotaryi'nternal combustion engine valve, comprising a'romember turning .in thepartia'l o a portedicasin'g, a ndfl meanscomprising,a curving, flexible,-

for an internal .com: bastion engine, comprising arotary member .turningin .a- -ported casing, with. a flexibly yieldin bearing wing winch isheld at one- Y sidean 1 free at'its otherfl side, curving'for" 1 aSubstantial; distance over the suriaeecof yielding bear-1 the casing at.

a rotary inember -'ed within less means comprisinga curving, flexible,self-- adjusting ,wing afi'ordin self-adjusting wing forming a yieldingpor- I ylelding bearing forthe rotaryvalve m'em erin another part a tar?the within-the limits of said fixed bearing, yieldflexible wing inbearing relation to the Volvo v means providing anexhaust spaceintervencurving, flexible w' to the valve member m another part of theof the circuit.v 4

14. A rotary internal combustion engine valve, comprisinga rotary membercontrolling both intake and exhaust, a. ported casing--havin intake andexhaust spaces and an extent less than. half the circumference,

and" a fle xible, self-adjusting wing forming a. further part of thebearmg for said r0- tary valve member.

15. A otary mternal'combustion I valvef'comprrsmg a ported casin and a.ro-' tar member turning therein, wit afl 'xiblqfs s" point and thencecurving "free for a sub-1.

sel. -adjusting wing bearing held at one stantial distance over therotary valve memher, and means'for exerting yieldingpressure on said:wing bearing m opposition to thepressure of the rotaryfvalve memben.

valve f comprising a rotary. .valve member,

ta'ry valve mem "er'included within less than 180, andself-adjustingbearin means in-. eluding-a curving,- flexible wingextending over somewhat less than 180 of the'rotary v member'in anotherpart of the circuit.

1-7 ."A' rotary.i nternal:-' combustion engine valve comprising arotaryvalve membercon- "trolling both" the intake and exhaust means afiordinfixed bearing tary valve mambo 180, yielding bearing means. compris'ingain bearing'relatlon for sai rocireuit, andmeans providing" an intake gasigace intervening at .onesid'e between the ed and flexible bearings. w v

18. A rotaryinternal combustion engine ing 1 bearing means comprising a0' member in another part of the circuit, and

nig'between the fixed and flexible bearingsa EUGENE M. BOUBNONV1LLE'.-

for said ro- 1 no I F16; A rotary internal combustion engine fixedbearin forsaid ro-' r included w1thin less than? I valve comprising arotary valve member con-

